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Russia jet wreckage is found

Search and rescue teams found the wreckage a Russian-made passenger plane on a mountain Thursday after it disappeared during a demonstration flight in western Indonesia. The conditions of the 48 people on board are not known.

The Sukhoi Superjet-100, Russia's first new passenger jet since the fall of the Soviet Union two decades ago, left Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon for what was supposed to be the second demonstration flight of the day. Potential buyers and journalists were on board.

The jet dropped off the radar 21 minutes later, immediately after the crew asked air traffic control for permission to drop from 10,000 feet to 6,000 feet, according to a national search and rescue official.

The crew did not explain the change of course, the official said. Drizzle was falling at the time, but it was not stormy, and there was no obvious signs of trouble.

More than 800 people, including soldiers and police, were taking part in the search and rescue operation.

The Superjet -- developed by the civil aircraft division of Sukhoi with the co-operation with Western partners -- was widely considered the country's chance to regain a foothold in the international passenger plane market.